Arabic version: إسرائيل تراجع احتمال تقديم تعويضات لعائلة فرانكوم

According to ABC News, Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, said Israel would check the possibility of paying reparations to the family of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.

Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues were killed in an April 2024 strike in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces this week cleared the soldiers involved of criminal liability, while finding serious failures in the strike that did not amount to a reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct.

Newman said reparations would require a specific request and would be examined under Israel’s rules for such cases. He again declined to apologise, but said sorrow and grief for Frankcom’s family had been expressed personally and generally.

The Australian government criticised the IDF findings and demanded an apology. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would press Israel and consult Frankcom’s family before announcing its next steps. He also called for a more transparent explanation and the release of audio from the drone attack.

Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin’s 2024 report found serious failures to follow IDF procedures and errors in decision-making, and called for reparations and an apology. Israel did not provide him access to the attack audio. Newman said Israel was considering inviting Binskin back for further talks.